Title |
Epidemiology of Plasmodium infections in Flores Island, Indonesia using real-time PCR
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Published in |
Malaria Journal, May 2013
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DOI | 10.1186/1475-2875-12-169 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Maria MM Kaisar, Taniawati Supali, Aprilianto E Wiria, Firdaus Hamid, Linda J Wammes, Erliyani Sartono, Adrian JF Luty, Eric AT Brienen, Maria Yazdanbakhsh, Lisette van Lieshout, Jaco J Verweij |
Abstract |
BACKGROUND: DNA-based diagnostic methods have been shown to be highly sensitive and specific for the detection of malaria. An 18S-rRNA-based, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the prevalence and intensity of Plasmodium infections on Flores Island, Indonesia. METHODS: Microscopy and real-time multiplex PCR for the detection of Plasmodium species was performed on blood samples collected in a population-based study in Nangapanda Flores Island, Indonesia. RESULTS: A total 1,509 blood samples were analysed. Real-time PCR revealed prevalence for Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium malariae to be 14.5%, 13.2%, and 1.9% respectively. Sub-microscopic parasitaemia were found in more than 80% of all positive cases. The prevalence of P. falciparum and P. vivax was significantly higher in subjects younger than 20 years (p <= 0.01). In the present study, among non-symptomatic healthy individuals, anaemia was strongly correlated with the prevalence and load of P. falciparum infections (p <= 0.01; p = 0.02) and with the load of P. vivax infections (p = 0.01) as detected with real-time PCR. Subjects with AB blood group tend to have a higher risk of being infected with P. falciparum and P. vivax when compared to other blood groups. CONCLUSION: The present study has shown that real-time PCR provides more insight in the epidemiology of Plasmodium infections and can be used as a monitoring tool in the battle against malaria. The unsurpassed sensitivity of real-time PCR reveals that sub microscopic infections are common in this area, which are likely to play an important role in transmission and control.Trial registration: Trials number ISRCTN83830814. |
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Geographical breakdown
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United Kingdom | 1 | 1% |
Netherlands | 1 | 1% |
Unknown | 95 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Researcher | 19 | 19% |
Student > Bachelor | 14 | 14% |
Lecturer | 9 | 9% |
Student > Master | 8 | 8% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 6 | 6% |
Other | 20 | 20% |
Unknown | 22 | 22% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
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Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 15 | 15% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 10 | 10% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 6 | 6% |
Environmental Science | 4 | 4% |
Other | 15 | 15% |
Unknown | 27 | 28% |